


Open Arms

by PlanetaryMusical



Category: The Orville (TV)
Genre: Dating, F/M, Memories, Past Relationship(s), Relationship(s), Sexual Content, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:29:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26227186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlanetaryMusical/pseuds/PlanetaryMusical
Summary: "Look, just get some merlot, cook a dinner, put on 'Open Arms'."Ed to Cassius, S2E1 "Ja'loja"Taking the Captain's advice on "How to date my ex-wife" doesn't work out as Cassius expected...
Relationships: Cassius/Kelly Grayson, Kelly Grayson/Ed Mercer
Comments: 6
Kudos: 8





	Open Arms

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Clez](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clez/gifts).



> Hey there,  
> I actually had this on my mind for a long time, at least the main idea of it but listening to "Open arms" the last days got me fuelled and made this turn out a little different:D
> 
> Hope you like it. Let me know.
> 
> PM

"Hey, beautiful."  
Cassius smiled as he welcomed Kelly at the doorway of his quarters, putting his hand to her waist to smoothly tear her inside. 

  
"Hey."  
Kelly replied and let herself fall into his kiss, her eyes closing, not before noticing the countless candles placed all around the merely lighted room.

  
Cassius broke the kiss, furrowing his forehead as he looked down on her hands she awkwardly kept straight beside her body instead of having them flung around his neck as usual.  
"You're alright? Am I too hot to touch tonight, or what?"  
He chuckled.

  
"Uh, no... Sorry. Could I wash my hands? I ran into Yaphit on the way here and he gave me back a comscanner he repaired for me. I left it in the store room next door but the sink there was out of order and... You know, Yaphit... All jelly and stuff, I mean, I kinda like him, but... everything he touches I actually want to burn right away. So..."

  
Cassius broke into laughter, pointing to the bathroom door behind him.   
"Got it. Help yourself."

  
"Thank you", Kelly exhaled, smirking as she headed for the sink. 

She would say, that she really could take a lot, seeing blood or changing diapers (on her little niece so far) wasn't a thing to disgust her at all. But touching anything slimy almost made her stomach turn. It had been quite a hard thing for her meeting Yaphit and shaking hands with him back then when she'd come aboard the Orville, but though she'd made it well and grown fond of him in some kind of way, she was glad she probably would never have to touch him again. Exchanging items with him was... Well. It was okay. As long as she had access to running water and soap soon as possible.

Drying up her hands she watched Cassius at the kitchen counter, pouring them two glasses of merlot. She smiled.   
He never liked to synthesise full glasses. He considered the taste as gross, as a violation to wine itself to consume it but not celebrate the pouring, why he always insisted to open a bottle and pour himself. Obviously ignoring that the bottles were synthesised though, most of the time. But well... Cassius. The two-hand tea drinker guy...Everyone's got their special features. 

She took last glance into the mirror, as smooth piano chords drew to her ears, making her wince, freezing to her spot.

A pair of dark brown eyes was flashing up in her mind. She blinked them away instantly. 

Kelly swallowed, slowly turning towards the door.

  
**Lying beside you, here in the dark**  
**Feeling your heartbeat with mine**

  
"What's this?"  
She remained in the doorway, seeing Cassius coming over with the glasses, handing her one.

  
"Journey. Open arms." 

  
"Yeah, I know the song, I just..."   
She took the glass, her hand slightly shivering.

  
"Well I..." He cleared his throat. "I saw the picture of their album hanging on your office wall, so, I figured you might like their music."  
He smirked, hoping to hide the flush on his cheeks. He clicked his glass with hers. 

  
"I do... Wow..."  
She sipped on her wine. She definitely needed some now. 

Why that song of all the others? She loved that band and she found it really sweet he noticed that and played her the music, but why? Why this? 

  
**We sailed on together**  
**We drifted apart**  
**And here you are, by my side**

_Splatters of tomato sauce._

She took another sip. A big one.

  
Cassius smiled at her.   
She really seemed baffled. Surprise obviously successful.   
"Well, how about you getting comfortable on the couch already and I finish the bruscettas?"   
They definitely needed some more olive oil and seasoning. Considering how tasteless most of the meals were to him, Cassius seriously wondered who'd programmed the food synthesisers . Probably a Moclan. Or Isaac.

  
"Sure", Kelly replied, before getting down on the couch, exhaling.

  
**Wanting to hold you**  
**Wanting you near**  
**How much I wanted you home**

  
She heard Cassius rummaging around in the kitchen as she dropped her gaze, unable to blank out the memories awakening in her head...

_"Damnit! What the hell... Gosh!"_

  
_Kelly heard the turmoil from out of their parking bay. Metal clattering, a stomping foot, a thud._  
_She lifted the lid of the vehicle, the front door of the appartment opening a second later._  
_"Ed?"_

_She slowly entered the room like a cop on a mission, expecting everything and nothing. But only could stare as she watched the scenery._

_The wall behind the kitchenette looked like a vertical Pollock masterpiece, the floor like a crime scene without a corpse. And in the midst of it all, over and over splattered with tomato sauce, was crouching a distraught Ed, spoon shoving the remnants of what looked like pasta al napoli back into a steel pot._

_"Dinner?"_  
_She sighed, smiling pityfully, despite the comedic attitude of the situation. But he looked so miserable that she couldn't even bare to laugh._

  
_"Obviously not! Damnit..."_  
_He clashed the spoon into the pot like an angry child, clawing at his messy hair. His voice was thick with desperation as he spoke._  
_"I had it all planned. I set up the table, I made the playlist. Actual cooking, no synthesiser stuff. I thought I might even be showered and dressed before you come home. And I almost had it all done, but then no, I had to drop the damn pot here..." He bit his lips, blinking back what seemed to be a tear before he looked at her._  
_"I'm sorry, Kel. Happy first anniversary, though."_

  
_Kelly sighed, watching him rise to his feet and drop the pot into the kitchen sink. He leaned against the counter, the look in his dark eyes making her heart ache, even more as she noticed the candles and white dishes on the table, the red rose petals scattered in between.The music in the background._  
_Journey. Her favourite band._  
_He had made big plans. And now it broke him to pieces that he obviously had fucked them up and he would consider himself again a god damn failure._

_But Kelly couldn't let that happen. He would not feel miserable tonight. Not after he had everything prepared so affectionately._  
_And not at all on their first wedding day._

_The next song tuned it. Soft solo piano. Her dearest song._  
_Kelly smiled, coming closer. She took his hands in hers carefully, her voice clear, but gentle._

_"Dance with me."_

  
_"What?"_

  
_"Dance with me, Ed."_

  
_"But... The mess... And me..."_

  
_"Later."_

  
_Her eyes piercing into his, she laid her arms around his neck, as he was drawing her near, slowly following her into the rhythm of the music._  
_She didn't care about the chaos all around, she didn't care that she got herself stained with tomato sauce as she leaned her head against his shoulder, she didn't care at all._  
_It was her wedding anniversary and she wanted to dance with her husband._

  
_**So now I come to you with open arms** _  
_**Nothing to hide, believe what I say** _  
_**So here I am, with open arms** _  
_**Hoping you'll see what your love means to me** _  
_**Open arms** _

"Kelly?"

  
"What?"   
Kelly winced as she felt Cassius hand on her knee, ripping her out of her thoughts. 

  
"Did you even hear me? I asked, if you want some more wine." 

  
"Oh...Sorry. No, thanks, I'm good."  
She looked at the glass in her hand. She couldn't remember finishing it. 

  
"Are you alright, Kel?"   
Cassius narrowed his eyes, worrying.   
"Did I do something wrong?"

  
"No... Not at all. Cassius, I'm sorry. I'm... Just a bit exhausted, I guess."  
It wasn't exactly a lie. She felt like run over by a shuttle.  
"Weird day... But...never mind."  
She put on a smile, touching his hand.  
"This all is... Very sweet. Thank you."

Kelly couldn't blame him at all. He'd wanted to make this a beautiful dating night, with wine and food and he just had happened to tune in a song she connected memories of her ex-husband with. But how would he know? It wasn't his fault.   
And it was all so long ago. Ridiculous to hold on to it, after all that had happened. They've had their time. But now it was over. For good. 

Ed was past. Cassius was present. And maybe even future. So, she had to leave old memories behind and make some new.

She put her glass on the coffee table, before her hands were drawn to Cassius chest, her fingers stroking above his shirt seductively.

"Maybe I'm in for a little relaxation."

She leaned in closer, her sight so tantalising, that he only could take her head between his hands, closing the gap for a fiery kiss that actually took her breath away. 

She moaned as she moved onto his lap, having him kissing down her neck. 

_"You know what, I'm actually glad you had no shower yet. We definitely both could need one now...", she whispered, touching the red stains on Ed's silk white shirt._

  
_"You think so?"_  
_Ed smirked, his lips teasing hers as she already found herself up on his arms._  
_Her hungry kisses was all he needed for an answer as he carried her over to the bathroom, her legs wrapped around his waist._

Kelly felt the heat on her face as she realised her thoughts. She was glad Cassius didn't notice her blushing and expression, being too busy tearing the straps of her dress from her shoulders, his lips addicted to her skin.

Why these memories? Why couldn't she just blank them out, turn them off? Damnit... She clawed her fingers around his head, desperately trying to focus on the structure of his curls. 

_She hissed, pulling his hair softly and causing him to moan as Ed pushed her against the wall of the shower, their clothes long gone, covering the floor._

_Kelly couldn't turn her eyes from him, his hair so shiny black with the water, running down his face, catching on his lashes, dripping from his chin. She'd always have a thing for him being like that, being all dripping wet from out of the shower, out of the rain. And she couldn't even tell why._

_Kelly gasped, her hands stroking above his body, feeling his muscles move, shivering under her touch._

She kissed him, hard, longing, expressing the arousal that was growing inside her, unable to deny it any longer that it was caused less by Cassius's tenderness than by the thoughts in her head. The thoughts she just couldn't let go of. And no longer wanted to. 

Cassius pushed her back on the couch, leaning over, pinning her down with his sight.   
Silver green.   
Her hand around his neck, she pierced her nails into his skin, making him close his eyes.   
Better.

_His lips moved down to her collarbone, teasingly slow, his tongue tracing a path along her chest, down to her navel as she brought him to his knees._

_She threw back her head in pleasure, her hands shivering, clasping streaks of his hair as he reached her hip bone._

_Her heart jumped with the excitement, her voice just a heated breath._

_"Ed..."_

"What?"  
Cassius jolted back from her, staring down on her in disbelief.

  
"What... I..."  
Kelly winced, like thunderstruck.  
She couldn't actually have said it loud, right? This just couldn't be...

  
"Ed... You called me Ed."  
The words were hurting as he spoke them out. 

  
"Cassius, I..."  
Her mouth remained open as she just couldn't find a word to say. 

  
"I just can't believe that...", he scoffed, tearing his hair.

  
"I'm sorry..."   
Tears filling her eyes, she sat up, reaching out to touch him. 

  
Cassius put up his arms in defence, backing away from her.  
"Kelly, I... I can't, I can't talk this now! Could you please just leave?" 

His voice has gotten louder, louder than intended. If he even had intended anything. He exhaled, hurt in his eyes as he looked at her.  
"Please.. Please just go." 

  
She nodded, biting her lips as she straightened her messed up clothes, her mind still twisting and turning.  
What had she done? 

As she reached the door she turned her head to him a last time.

"I'm really sorry, Cassius."

  
He did not even look back at her, his eyes pinned on the bottle on the couch table. He couldn't stand looking at her now. He just couldn't. 

  
Kelly dropped her gaze, pushing the opening button on the door panel.

And then she was gone. 

**Author's Note:**

> Clez, here's to you for planting the Ed and Kelly shower picture in my head forever. I just had to make something out of it :D


End file.
